


All Stories End the Same

by TeaTimeAllOverTown



Category: That '70s Show
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Future, Canon Compliant, Eventual Romance, Future Fic, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:06:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27923500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaTimeAllOverTown/pseuds/TeaTimeAllOverTown
Summary: Three different paths, three different stories. All roads lead to the same place. A Jackie and Hyde love story in which destiny always finds them.
Relationships: Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Comments: 12
Kudos: 77





	All Stories End the Same

**Author's Note:**

> This idea just came to me the other night. So many people asked me to write a fix-it fic for these two after the last chapter of my other series but I was having a hard time settling on one, so instead I wrote three. The first one is AU after the season seven final and the second take place after the canon finale. However all three of them come to the same ending.
> 
> I really, really enjoyed writing this. I struggle with chapter stories but I also struggle with focusing on one idea for a one-shot so this was the perfect compromise. They're all shortened versions of fics I have started to write, but couldn't finish.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy and as always your comments are greatly appreciated. I love hearing from you all. It's a small fandom, god the finale was 14 years ago, but it still has a dedicated group. These two really transcend time, as they do in my story.
> 
> Without further ado.

I.

Steven is gone and the hotel door is shut before Jackie can even begin to defend herself. In the reverberating silence of the room the only thought Jackie can muster is that she needs to leave right now.

She’s on a plane with a haphazardly packed suitcase within hours, watching the twinkling skyline of Chicago disappear through the tears in her eyes.

When Pam Burkhart opens the door in Mexico, Jackie throws herself into her mother’s arms, tears streaming down her face. It’s the first time Jackie can remember being held by her mother while she sobbed, maybe the only time, but Pam’s alarmed words of comfort and long fingers combing through her hair make Jackie feel safe in a way she hasn't felt in years.

She tells Pam the saga over margaritas at a local bar, her words slurred by the time she reaches Chicago and the hotel. Pam says nothing besides requesting another round of drinks from the bartender. Jackie thinks that this is exactly what she needed.

She spends two weeks in the sun and on the beach before she finally calls Donna. Donna screams at her over the phone for not calling sooner, apparently Mrs. Foreman thought Jackie had been kidnapped by a serial killer. Kelso thought the same but by aliens. 

After several minutes of assuring Donna she is alive, in one piece and at least physically okay, she asks about Hyde.

“He went to Vegas.”

Jackie wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting to hear from Donna, but it certainly wasn’t that.

“Vegas?”

“Yeah. He just got home yesterday.”

“Does he hate me?”

“No. It was pretty obvious how much he loved you when we told him you were missing.”

Jackie isn’t sure what exactly Donna means by that but chooses not ask. She came here to escape Steven, not overanalyze his every action. She finally hangs up the phone after Pam’s boyfriend makes a rude comment about how much the call is going to cost him and shoots him a dirty look before heading to the beach. Her tan is nearly perfect and the beach staff at the local hotel always offer her free drinks and a chair, even though she’s not a guest. There is absolutely nothing about laying on a warm, mexican beach that reminds her of Steven so she practically sprints to the sand before he can creep back into her thoughts.

Donna calls again the next day.

“Jackie, Hyde got married.”

The words send ice into her veins and her stomach flips so violently she thinks she might be sick. She doesn’t say anything in response so Donna continues gravely.

“She was a stripper in Vegas. Her name is Sam. Hyde doesn’t remember any of it, she just showed up at the Foreman’s.”

Jackie manages a choked thank you for telling me, goodbye before slamming the phone down so hard the table it’s on shakes. She is out the door before Pam can ask her what happened, tripping over her own feet to get to the beach. 

She practically inhales the drinks she’s offered, willing her brain to become fuzzy and unfocused because she cannot bear to let her sober thoughts stray to Steven Hyde and his wife, who isn’t Jackie.

Pam finds her eventually and takes the chair beside her, waving her hand for her own drink. After several minutes of silence, Jackie shares the news.

“Oh darling. They won’t last. A man who spontaneously marries a woman he doesn’t know is always thinking of someone else.”

She cries herself to sleep that night in Pam’s boyfriend’s itchy bed sheets, imagining Steven and some faceless blonde. She dreams of fucking Steven on a bare mattress in an empty room when suddenly he’s not Steven, he’s Michael, and all their friends are laughing at them, except Steven. Steven’s watching her with a look of disgust, his arm around the faceless blonde woman.

“I didn’t mean to!” Jackie cries, trying to cover her naked body and running towards Steven. 

She wakes up before she can reach him, shaking and covered in sweat, tears hot on her cheeks.

Donna calls again before she can leave for the beach.

“He left. And Sam. I don’t know where they went.”

Jackie thanks her but asks her not to tell her about Steven anymore. She doesn’t know where Steven and his stripper wife went and she doesn’t care to find out.

Two more days of beach and drinks numbs the pain, at least a little. She gets asked out nearly every day, by men with varying levels of attractiveness, and considers saying yes to several of them, but decides against it. The beach and the booze are enough for now.

“Jackie, are you sure you don’t want to go find him?” Pam asks Jackie that night, placing a gentle hand over hers.

“I have nothing to say to him. He’s married now, Mom. He would rather marry a stripper than me.”

She pretends not see Pam’s look of concern and excuses herself for a walk on the beach. Who is Pam to be giving her romantic advice? Running away to Mexico isn’t reserved for her mother, Jackie can play that game too.

After another terrible night’s sleep she trudges back to the beach. It’s beginning to lose some of its appeal. Her tan has become a mild sunburn and the hotel staff seem to be less inclined to dote now that it’s clear she is not going to sleep with any of them. Truthfully she misses her pink bedroom and Donna and Fez and she really misses Mr. Foreman for some reason but the idea of being in the same country, let alone the same town, as a married Steven Hyde is not something she can even remotely stomach.

She wonders if it might be time to accept the invitation of one of the men here when she sees someone on the far end of the beach who she momentarily thinks is Steven. But this is Mexico and Steven is somewhere far away so she looks away, towards the ocean.

But she can’t help but glance back towards the figure and she realizes with a jolt that she’s not going insane and that it is Steven Hyde walking towards her.

Despite the heat and the sand he is of course in a t-shirt, jeans and boots and looks entirely out of place except his sunglasses. Jackie feels so many emotions at once she thinks she might actually faint. One person’s brain isn’t supposed to comprehend so many things. 

She doesn’t faint but she is frozen in her chair, unable to run towards him or away from him. She isn’t sure which one she would pick if she could.

Finally he is next to her, hands shoved unceremoniously into his pockets and obviously overheated from the hot, mexican sun.

“Hey.”

She can tell he is trying to sound calm and unemotional, of course he would come find her in Mexico and pretend it’s nothing, but she can hear the nerves in his voice and it gives her enough confidence to find hers.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

She can’t see his hands so she can’t see if there is a ring but the thought that there could be is enough to make anger the forefront emotion in her mind.

He opens his mouth but then closes it, brows furrowed and shifting his weight awkwardly from side to side. After a moment he sighs and, to Jackie’s surprise, removes his sunglasses.

“Come home, Jackie.”

It’s the last thing she pictured him saying and worst of all she has no idea what it even means.

“What does that mean?”

He sighs again and has the audacity to look impatient with the conversation.

“It means come home. You shouldn’t be in Mexico.”

Her head is spinning and her heart is pounding but her anger is turning into blind fury and it gives her the strength to stand up from her chair and serve the most contemptuous, hateful look she can muster.

“You don’t get to tell me where I should or shouldn’t be Steven Hyde. I am not going anywhere with you.”

The look on his face tells her this isn’t the way he wanted this conversation to go and she can not for the life of her imagine what else he thought she was going to say.

“Jackie-,” he begins, but the rage is flowing through her body and seems determined to exit from her mouth.

“No, Steven. I’m talking. You told me to go to Chicago. You ended it. You showed up in Chicago, for what reason I have no idea, then you left without letting me explain. Then you apparently married some whore in Las Vegas and now you’re here telling me what to do? I don’t think so.”

“Jackie-,”

“The audacity Steven, honestly. I was so horrible you’d rather be married to a complete stranger? After the absolute hell you put me through this is seriously how you’re going to let this end? You are a complete and total jerk, Steven Hyde.”

“Jackie-,”

“I don’t want to see you ever again, do you hear me? I can’t believe-,”

“JACKIE!”

“What?”

“Will you marry me?”

As someone who is prone to drastic mood changes, Jackie is positive she has never gone from furious to shocked so quickly before in her life.

“Will I...what?”

“We can stop at a courthouse on the drive home. Or go to city hall when we get back. Or have a huge wedding in six months I don’t give a crap. But will you please marry me?”

This time she nearly does faint. Her knees buckle and Steven grabs her shoulders and sets her down on the chair before she collapses onto it. She vaguely registers him calling one of the hotel boys over and asking for some water and feels something cold being pressed into her hand. The sensation snaps her back into focus.

“I don’t...I don’t understand. Donna said you married a stripper.”

Steven sighs once again, pointing expectantly to the bottle of water in her hand. She takes an obedient sip.

“Sam was already married. It wasn’t legal.”

“But you tried to marry her,” Jackie counters, spilling some water as her hands shake.

“Apparently, I don’t remember. I asked her for an annulment as soon as she showed up, Jackie. That’s when she admitted it wasn’t legal.”

“So she’s gone.”

“Long gone.”

Jackie nods, taking another sip.

“What about Michael?”

Steven’s eyes harden and the corner of his mouth twitches angrily but his voice stays calm.

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t care?”

“Not anymore. You thought we were done. Maybe we were. It doesn’t matter.”

“It mattered two weeks ago.”

He rubs his fingers on the bridge of his nose.

“That was before.”

“Before what?”

“Before I thought you got killed by a serial killer. And then that you weren’t coming back from Mexico.”

She raises an eyebrow at him.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, dammit Jackie, somewhere along the way I fell completely in love with you. I still don’t know how it happened and I’m pretty pissed about it, honestly. But I’m done being mad at you about stupid things that don’t actually matter. I love you and if the option is marrying you or losing you forever I will marry you every day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

Jackie thinks that it’s maybe the least romantic proposal of all time but it’s also the most Steven Hyde proposal of all time.

“You don’t have a ring,” she points out, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Right. I know you’d hate anything I bought you so we can stop at the first jewelry store we see on the way back and you can pick whatever you want.”

“You’re not down on one knee,” she responds, fighting back a grin. He glares at her.

“Does it make a difference?”

“To me it does.”

Grumbling, he shifts off the chair and places one knee down on the sand.

“Jackie-,”

She giggles.

“I was kidding.”

He opens his mouth, a grumpy retort clearly on his tongue, but pauses. Then he smiles.

“Fuck off.”

She giggles louder, bringing a hand to her mouth.

“I’m not going to pick out a cheap ring, you know. And I’m not getting married at a courthouse.”

“I figured.”

“And you can’t wear your sunglasses at the ceremony.”

He frowns.

“Can I wear them at the reception?”

“Fine.”

They stare at each other for a moment.

“Is that...is that a yes?” he asks hesitantly, still down on one knee.

“Of course it’s a yes, Steven.”

And finally he smiles, Jackie swears it’s the widest smile she’s ever seen on him, and moves forward, pulling her swiftly towards him to crash their lips together.

It’s not a particularly good kiss, at least not in the technical sense. They’re both grinning like idiots and his nose is bumping awkwardly against hers but at this point it’s her favorite kiss from Steven Hyde. A few people around the clap awkwardly, clearly bemused by the abnormal proposal, but Jackie wraps her arms tightly around his neck and pulls away from his lips to bury her face in his neck.

“I love you, Steven.”

He kisses her temple.

“Of course you do.”

They stay that way for a few more moments until she can muster the willpower to let go.

She grabs his hand and tugs him along, away from the ocean.

“Where are we going?” he asks, following behind her.

“Home, right?”

He grins.

“How did you find me?” she asks after a moment, looking back at him curiously.

“I got your number from Donna. I was going to call and try and talk to you. Your mom answered and gave me the address. She said I should come get you.”

Jackie grins and focuses on taking her last step with sand between her toes. The beach was nice but being Mrs. Hyde sounds so much nicer.

II.

Jackie doesn’t see Steven Hyde again until 1981.

It only took three weeks of being Fez’s girlfriend and roommate to realize that all her problems were not going to be solved by “the perfect man” who wasn’t even remotely perfect for her. Fez was polite enough about the whole thing to give away the fact he had the same pit of regret in his stomach.

She’d managed a quick goodbye to Donna before climbing into a stinky bus and landing back in Chicago. It took nearly two weeks of begging and coffee trips before she was offered the job she’d left behind in May. But this time, she doesn’t give it up for a boy. This time she gives it her all.

So in 1981 she finds herself in Toronto, Canada of all places. There’s a music festival the network wants her to cover, although Jackie has no idea why considering she didn’t know a single band on the list. She’s just waved goodbye to her cranky cameraman when she quite literally runs into Steven Hyde.

The both stare at each other with momentary shock before he grins at her.

“Jackie Burkhart.”

She isn’t sure what is more surprising; that she and Steven are at the same event or that he’s looking at her and asking her about herself without any hint of malice. 

She tells him about her job, about Chicago, about how she’s finally an actual person rather than a girlfriend. He tells her about Grooves and about how he opened up a small club next door with live music. Which is why he’s here scouting bands to book.

“It’s the only fun part of my job.”

Somehow they make their way to a nearby bar and the conversation doesn’t falter even once. He makes fun of her for not knowing any bands. She pretends to hate his ratty t-shirt. He pokes at her hair which has gained significant volume since she left. 

But instead of pulling his hand back from her hair, he brushes some of it behind her ear. She’s drunk enough that every reason not to kiss Steven Hyde is completely overshadowed by the one compelling reason to kiss him. He’s Steven Hyde.

The kiss becomes making out and the making out becomes groping and Steven throws some bills on the bar counter before leaning down to whisper in her ear.

“Do you want to get out of here?”

She is absolutely mortified by how turned on she immediately becomes and manages a squeaky yes before he quite literally drags her outside.

His hotel is closer, although not nearly as nice, and he presses her up against the door once they’re inside. He kisses her anywhere and everywhere and she tugs him desperately closer, thankful she’s drunk enough not to be completely aware of how wantonly she is behaving.

Once his shirt is off and her dress is hanging loosely around her waist he pulls back and looks at her, bright eyes searching her face.

“Are you sure?”

The time for the question has long since passed. Every nerve in her body is on fire and screaming for his touch so she responds by pressing a kiss to his chest and making her way up his neck back to his mouth.

“Jackie, are you sure?”

His lips are so far from hers again and it’s frustrating beyond her drunken mind’s belief.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

Apparently those words are the magic key because then he’s there and her bra is not and she feels completely free as he scoops her up and pulls her legs around his waist.

“Thank god,” he whispers back.

She blinks awake the next morning, frowning at the unfamiliar room. It takes a few seconds before the soreness between her legs brings everything back.

The shower is running and Steven isn’t in bed so she glances at the door. She could just leave. She could leave and claim she’s gotten all her story yesterday and ask to be flown home early. The studio would definitely agree to the money it would save them and then Jackie would not have to face what happened last night. Or early this morning.

But the water stops before she can gather the courage and Steven appears in the doorway, a towel around his waist. Jackie holds her breath.

“Oh good, you’re awake. Want to grab some breakfast?”

They don’t discuss the events of last night, besides a few innuendos and dirty jokes from Steven over the breakfast table, but it is surprisingly not awkward. He tells her more about Grooves and she tells him more about Chicago and they laugh about stupid memories of Kelso and Red’s empty ass-kicking threats.

“I’ve got to get back and get ready for today,” she says after a while, wishing the clock would slow down.

“Right,” he nods, sipping his orange juice.

They sit in a moment of awkward silence before they both speak at the same time.

“I had fun last night.”

“It was nice to see you again.”

The words are jumbled together but they heard each other and they both grin.

“See you around, Jackie.”

She winks at him and stands up from the table, making sure to swing her hips slightly more than usual as she walks. She’s sure he’s watching her go.

She manages another decent day of interviews and coverage, considering her lack of sleep and all over soreness. She’s surprised by how much fun she has talking to the bands and the managers and even enjoys some of the songs she hears.

She finds herself peering around for a sight of curly hair or sunglasses but it turns out those things are not unique to Steven Hyde in this type of event and eventually resigns herself to focusing on her job.

They’re setting up for the final interview of the day when his voice pops up from behind her.

“You could try a little harder to fit in with the outfits you know, Beulah.”

She doesn’t turn around for a moment, focusing on keeping the grin off her face in favor of a scowl, but finally spins on her heel and sees blue eyes twinkling at her from behind a pair of sunglasses.

“One, I need to stand out, Steven. I’m on camera. And two, don’t call me that.”

He winks at her and it goes straight between her legs but she keeps her shoulders relaxed even if she can’t maintain the scowl.

“You almost done?” he asks, glancing at the camera set up.

“This is my last interview of the day.”

“Want to grab something to eat after?”

She forces herself to count to three before responding.

“Sure.”

He nods and takes a seat on an empty bench.

She finds it incredibly difficult to get through the interview with him watching her. She stumbles over her words and repeats several questions, sighing in relief when they get enough usable material to call it a day.

“I don’t know, doll. Might have picked the wrong career.”

She glares at him as she tucks her microphone away.

“You were making me nervous.”

He grins at her.

“Good.”

They find a small burger place to get dinner and he laughs as she devours her immediately.

“I didn’t eat lunch,” she says defensively, patting her mouth with a napkin.

He just chuckles, leans forward and wipes away a spot she missed with his thumb. Her stomach does a flip.

It’s a nice night and they find a bar with a rooftop. They grab a small table and she pretends not to notice when he pulls his chair around the table next to hers. His hand finds her thigh after the first drink and her fingers are threaded through his by the second. A dance floor has emerged in the center of the roof and Jackie squeals happily when the song changes.

“Oh Steven, come dance, I love this song!”

“Jackie, I don’t dance.”

“Oh yes you do, Mister. You can’t lie to me. Come on.”

He pretends to fight her but once they’re in the mass of sweaty bodies he pulls her tightly against him and wraps his arms around her waist.

“See? I knew you could dance.”

“I never said I couldn’t. Just that I don’t.”

She rolls her eyes but her retort is cut off when he kisses her and her senses are filled with music and Steven and she can’t remember a time when she was happier.

She insists on going back to her hotel this time, the sheets are a higher thread count and it doesn't smell like must. They’re both drunk when they stumble through the door but his eyes immediately fall on her packed suitcase in the center of the room.

“You leave tomorrow?” he asks, eyes still resting on the bag.

“Yeah.”

He nods and gives the suitcase one last look before sweeping her into his arms and taking her to bed.

She wakes up before him the next morning, blinking in the sunlight streaming in from the window. She shifts slightly to her side and watches Steven for a moment, chest rising and falling.

It’s kind of surreal, seeing him like this. She’d packaged everything they had together into a tiny corner of her mind, buried away so it couldn’t hurt her anymore. She’d had to bury the good memories away along with the bad. 

“Stop staring.”

She starts slightly at his voice but giggles when his eyes crack open just enough to glare at her.

“I wasn’t staring.”

“You were and it’s creepy.”

His hand finds a lock of her hair and he twists it around his finger, tugging gently.

“What time is your flight?”

She sighs.

“I have to leave in a couple hours.”

He nods and leans up to kiss her.

“Alright.”

She invites him to shower with her and he agrees. The attempts at shower sex are pathetic, both of them sliding around the tile and rubbing water out of their eyes. But they laugh the whole time and the fact neither of them were close to coming seems like the least important thing in the world.

Finally she is dressed and packed and he is sitting on the edge of her bed in his wrinkled clothes.

“Well this was...something.”

He barks out a laugh at her comment, shaking his head.

“It definitely was.”

There are so many things she could say but none of them can find their way into words.

“Well, have a safe trip-,”

“I could stay another night.”

The words tumble out of her mouth unannounced to her brain but they’re in the room before she can reel them back in. He raises his eyebrows at her.

“What?”

“I just mean...I don’t have to be back to work for a few days. My cameraman can get my producer all the footage. I’d just need to book another night and change my flight.”

To her relief, he grins at her.

“Just change the flight. You can stay with me.”

It turns out the music festival is much more enjoyable when it’s spent holding Steven’s hand. He introduces her to bands he’s met and plays her his favorite songs. During one song he even hoists her up onto his shoulders and she lets her head fall back, beaming up at the sun.

After a few hours he offers to get them some funnel cake, leaving her at a bench.

“Steven, can I have-,”

“Extra sugar. Got it.”

She bites her lip, grinning, and watches him walk towards the funnel cake stand.

Then Jackie sees her.

Tan and toned and oh so blonde, Sam is making a beeline towards Steven.

Without thinking Jackie is pushing through the crowd of people to get within earshot.

“Steven!”

She watches as Steven whips around, nearly dropping one of the funnel cakes.

“Sam?”

Sam beams and throws her arms around him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Steven remains stiff, still holding the funnel cakes.

“What are you doing here?” Steven asks when she releases him, looking at her disbelief.

“I moved to Canada! Got sick of Vegas and I had a friend up here I was able to crash with. What about you?”

“I’m just here for the festival,” Steven replies, still sounding shocked.

“Oh Steven, I’m so glad to see you,” Sam gushes, taking a step towards him. “I’ve really missed you. I hate everything that happened between us.”

“Sam, I-,”

“It’s fate, right? Us seeing each other here?”

“Well, I don’t know about-,”

“Come get dinner with me tonight. We can catch up.” Her finger trails down his chest.

“Sam, I…,”

Jackie has seen enough. She bolts, hurrying through the crowd until she finds a private corner. It’s not really private, just behind a pillar. She doesn’t cry though. That’s what’s different about her now. She doesn’t cry over boys.

“I guess it is a small world.”

The female voice catches Jackie completely by surprise and her searching eyes fall on Sam, leaning against the pillar.

“I saw a tiny brunette running away from Hyde. Figured it must be you. Oh, and the two funnel cakes.”

Jackie glares at her.

“Go away, Sam.”

Sam eyes her for another minute.

“He turned me down, you know. Said he was busy tonight.”

Jackie feels slightly less angry at the blonde.

“He can do whatever he wants.”

Sam nods.

“Look Jackie, I don’t like you. And I’ll never know what it is about you he could never get over. But he clearly still hasn’t so you probably shouldn’t run away this time.”

“I didn’t run away. He picked you.”

“He never thought he had a choice.”

They both fall silent for a moment.

“He thought I was you.”

Jackie frowns at her.

“What?”

“When he asked me to marry him. He called me Jackie.”

Jackie doesn’t pretend to hide the shock on her face.

“Really?”

“Really. I had a brunette wig on for that set. I didn’t understand it until I met you. He had a ring and everything.”

“What happened to the ring?”

“He asked for it back when I got to Wisconsin. He said it belonged to someone else.”

With a wink and wave, she’s gone.

It takes Jackie several deep breaths to will herself out from behind the pillar and back into the crowd. Steven is still standing by the funnel cakes, looking shell shocked.

“Hey.”

He starts when he hears her voice, turning to look at her.

“There you are. Here,” he shoves the funnel cake towards her and Jackie takes it.

“I saw Sam.”

Any color left in Steven’s face disappears.

“Jackie, I didn’t...I didn’t know she’d be here. Really.”

“I know.”

He gives her a questioning look but she shakes her head when he opens his mouth to ask her how.

“That band you like is up next. Let’s go check it out.”

She reaches for his hand with her free one and pulls him along. She starts to drop his hand but he catches it before she can, intertwining their fingers again. She smiles.

They get dinner again that night but it feels different. Everything feels different. Jackie isn’t sure if it’s seeing Sam or knowing it’s her last night but the fun of not knowing what this is has been replaced with the dread of not knowing what this is.

“I never thought this would happen again.”

Steven being the one to break the silence surprises her, it always does, and she drops her mostly uneaten slice of pizza.

“What do you mean?”

“This. Us. Figured it was dead and buried.”

Jackie offers him a sad smile.

“I wanted it to be.”

He nods, leaning back in his chair.

“I can’t believe what a good time I had. With you. I forgot how fun you could be.”

She pushes the pizza across her plate.

“I forgot how much I loved you.”

She’s not trying to ruin things, not exactly. But the piece of heart that will always belong to Steven is pounding in her ears, demanding to be freed. 

“We really were good, weren’t we?”

She raises her eyebrows at the question.

“I just mean...with everything that happened. I kind of made you out to be some kind of evil villian in my mind. I pretended being with you was terrible. But this...all of this man, I remember.”

She leans across the table and kisses him.

“I’m glad you were here.”

The sex that night is different. It’s not drunken or desperate or fun. It’s slow and passionate and heartbreaking. Her eyes fill with tears when he comes. It feels like an ending.  
The alarm she set goes off well before she is ready to wake up and she lays in bed for a few moments after she shuts it off, staring at the hotel ceiling.

“Plane doesn’t come to the hotel,” Steven mumbles sleepily, pulling her into his side. She sighs.

“They really should. Door to door service, you know?”

He responds with a sleepy laugh but doesn’t say anything else. She sighs again.

“I guess I should go.”

She rolls herself out of the bed, feet landing on the scratchy hotel carpet. Thirty minutes later she is showered and dressed and willing the lump in her throat not to move any higher.

Steven is sitting on the edge of the bed when exits the bathroom. He looks up at her, sunglasses lost somewhere last night. 

“So listen, Jackie…,”

He trails off and she shoots him a questioning look, slipping her shoes on.

“I got this job offer in Chicago.”

She misses her second shoe, stumbling before she catches herself on the wall.

“What?”

“This guy who helped me out opening the club. He just bought a club in Chicago. Wants me to run it.”

“What about Grooves?”

Steven shrugs, eyes fixed on the floor.

“I’m sure I could get someone else to run it. It would be a good investment to keep.”

She stares at him, hoping he can’t hear her pounding heart.

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“I was going to turn him down. He said I could let him know tomorrow, after I got back. I like Grooves and my club and didn’t have any reason to move.”

“Are you...are you saying you do now?”

He finally looks up at her.

“Do I?”

She’s sure he can hear her heartbeat now. The guests next door probably can too.

“What are you saying Steven?”

“I just…,” he begins, swallowing loudly. “After this weekend…”

“After this weekend what?”

“It feels different, doesn’t it? I feel different. Do you?”

“I...I don’t know.”

“Well I’m just saying...maybe moving to Chicago could be cool. A big city, you know.”

“Steven-,”

“So I was just asking your opinion, that’s all. Since you live there.”

“So the minute before I’m leaving to catch a plane to Chicago after sleeping with you all weekend is the right time to casually ask me if you should move to Chicago?”

“I...I guess.”

Jackie glares at him.

“Steven, if you want to move to Chicago to be with me, you’re going to have to say it. I’m not going to make that decision for you and I’m not going to let you pretend it’s just because it would be cool.”

His shoulders slump.

“Jackie I’m not...it’s just...look man, I don’t know. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Jackie throws her hands in the air.

“For once in life Steven will you please just say what you’re thinking? Will you please drop the act?”

He grimaces.

“It’s not that easy, Jackie.”

“Yes, it actually is. You just say it.”

“And what if you don’t feel the same way? What if I just look like an idiot?”

“What’s worse? Feeling like a rejected idiot for a little while or never knowing what I would say?”

He falls silent before taking a deep breath.

“Jackie...I think I still love you. Actually, I definitely do. I’m pretty sure I have since I was 18. If I move to Chicago to be with you, would you take me back?”

She stares at him unblinking. 

“Jackie?”

She stares another moment.

“Are you...are you going to say anything?”

FInally she grins.

“Can’t believe it took three years and going all the way to Canada to get that out of you.”

“I...what are you saying?”

“My apartment is pretty small but you don’t have a lot of stuff, right?”

“Are you saying yes?”

“I’m not getting rid of my stuffed animals though.”

“Jackie-,”

“And I will play ABBA Steven. You can’t stop me.”

“Jackie, doll, please just answer me.”

“Steven Hyde you emotionally illiterate buffoon, of course I will take you back.”

He grins back at her.

“Cool.”

He’s kissing her before she can come up with a good retort, his hands threading into her hair and pulling her closer, deeper into him. She snakes her arms around his waist.

“I still need to catch my flight, Steven.”

“Can’t you move it back again?” he groans, kissing her neck. She shakes her head.

“I have work, Steven.”

He groans again, moving her shirt down to kiss her bare shoulder.

“Lame.”

She smiles and steps back, keeping her hands on his waist.

“You’re really coming to Chicago.”

“Yup.”

“This isn’t a joke?”

“Sure wouldn’t be a funny one.”

“You really love me?”

“Apparently.”

“Do you still have my ring?”

He frowns.

“Huh?”

“Sam told me you gave her a ring when you married her. That you thought she was me but you made her give it back. Do you still have it?”

He flushes.

“When did you talk to Sam?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“I...yeah, I still have it.”

Jackie beams. 

“Can I have it?”

“I’m not proposing, Jackie.”

She frowns.

“I just wanted to see it.”

“You’ll see it when I propose. Which is not right now.”

“When?”

“Yeah, when. Might be an if depending on how much ABBA we’re talking about.”

“You can’t threaten not to marry me if I listen to ABBA.”

“I can do whatever I want.”

She kisses him again.

“I have to go. I’ll see you soon?”

“Call me when you get home.”

She nods and leans in for one last kiss.

“This is crazy, Steven.”

“Breaking up two years ago was crazy. This is just getting back on track, I think.”

“I like that.”

“Hey Jackie?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

She winks at him before slipping out the door. She is going to buy her boss the biggest fruit basket she can find for sending her to Canada of all places.

III.

To Jackie’s surprise, finding a husband ends up being a rather easy task. After a particularly apathetic break up with Fez she accepts a job at a TV studio in Milwaukee and watches Point Place disappear in her rearview mirror.

She meets David about six months after she moves. She meets him in a coffee shop when they accidently get each other’s orders. It’s horrifyingly cute and everything that follows is the same. He turns out to be a lawyer with a six figure job and takes her to restaurants she sees in magazines followed by front row seats at the theater.

He proposes to her before a year is up. He gets down on one knee when she finds a ring in her champagne. The ring is huge and shimmering and fits perfectly on her petite finger.

The wedding is enormous, they rent out the largest church in Milwaukee, and anyone who is anyone in the small city is there. She spots Donna, Eric, Fez and Kelso through the showers of rice as they leave the church. Her smile slips just a tiny bit when she doesn’t see any sunglasses.

She’s pregnant three months later. It’s sooner than either of them expected but he’s ecstatic and Jackie is surprised when she isn’t.

The pregnancy seems to have the opposite effect on them. As her stomach grows, so does Jackie’s joy. They find out they’re having a girl and Jackie busies herself buying dresses and bows and pouring through baby name books. David grows distant, eyeing her changing body with disapproval and disinterest.

Sarah Ashley O’Neill is born on March 3rd, 1982, the same day Jackie’s marriage dies.

It takes two years and another baby girl for the marriage to fully implode, but she’s sure they both knew in that hospital room.

David complains about the mess and the noise and picks fights with Jackie everytime he comes home drunk. Jackie quits her job, she’d never been interested in being a working mother, and finds herself trapped inside the enormous house she picked to live out her perfect life.

Sarah is a dream and a blessing but it turns out motherhood is hard and she refuses to hire a nanny and let herself become her mother. She’s exhausted and too skinny and completely alone.

They decide to try for another baby, a last ditch effort to save their marriage. As soon as the doctor says it’s another girl, Jackie knows the effort was futile.

Jessica Marie O’Neill is born on May 7th, 1984. Jackie files for divorce on July 23rd.

David’s lack of protest when she announces she wants to move back to Point Place with the girls confirms everything Jackie already knew. She finds a small house for rent by the elementary school, she gets enough child support every month from David to cover it, and moves in right before the school year starts. 

Her daughters are both too young for school but there’s several playgrounds nearby and Sarah can toddle around happily while Jackie nurses Jessica. 

She runs into Mrs. Foreman in the grocery store who cooes over the babies and wordlessly takes Jessica out of Jackie’s arms when Sarah lays down in the middle of the aisle, screaming.

“Laurie did that all the time.”

Mrs. Foreman starts coming over for lunch, bringing meals for Jackie to freeze and tidying the house while Jackie wrangles both girls down for naps.

“It’s so hard, Mrs. Foreman,” she admits tearfully one day, cradling a sleeping Jessica against her chest.

“You just need a better support system, dear.”

She’s at the playground the next day when she notices Sarah babbling happily away to a small boy with a dark complexion and curly black hair. She grins at the sight and Sarah grabs the boy's hand, pulling her over towards Jackie.

“Mommy this is my friend Emmett.”

Jackie smiles at the boy, shifting Jessica into her stroller.

“That’s lovely, Sarah. Hi Emmett. Where is your mommy?”

“Emmett?”

The voice that calls across the playground is decidedly not that of a mommy. It’s the voice of Steven Hyde.

Jackie’s heart skips a beat and she looks up to see Steven stopped several feet away from her, a matching expression of shock on his face.

“Jackie?”

It takes her several moments to regain her voice.

“Steven you have a kid?”

Steven laughs nervously, shaking his head.

“Uh...no. He’s Angie’s. I just watch him sometimes.”

Jackie gives a noise of understanding, heart still rattling in her chest. Jessica lets out an unhappy whine.

“Oh dear,” Jackie mutters, reaching her shaky arms out and jostling the stroller slightly.

“These are your kids though, right?” Steven asks, looking between the girls. Jackie nods.

“That’s Jessica. This is Sarah.”

Steven offers them both a warm smile, if a slightly awkward one.

“They’re beautiful.”

Jackie smiles.

“I know.”

Emmett and Sarah run back to the playground and Steven takes a seat beside her on the bench.

“I heard you were back in town.”

Jackie says nothing.

“Sorry about your divorce.”

“It is what it is.”

He sighs.

“How are you doing? With the two kids?”

She shrugs.

“My best.”

At that moment Sarah falls and begins to wail. Before Jackie can get to her, Jessica lets out an even louder scream.

Pausing halfway to her screaming toddler, Jackie looks back towards her baby, nearly in tears herself.

“I got her.”

Before she can respond Steven has Jessica in his arms, bouncing her lightly in his lap. Jessica lets out one last shaky whine before falling into silence.

Jackie scoops Sarah up, pressing a kiss to her red knee, and hurries back to the bench.

“Steven, I can-,”

“It’s fine. You’ve got your hands full.”

It takes a few more minutes of soothing before Sarah falls silent, burying into Jackie’s chest. Jessica has fallen asleep in Steven’s arms.

“Thank you, Steven.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“When did you get good with kids?”

“Well to be honest, Emmett’s dad is kind of a deadbeat. I’ve helped Angie out a lot.”

Jackie smiles at him.

“That’s great, Steven.”

Eventually Emmett threatens to have an accident and Sarah is clearly over the playground so Jackie offers Steven one last thank you before pushing the stroller down the sidewalk.

She could almost laugh that the man she married to raise her children doesn’t seem to have a shred of paternal instinct compared to the man she left behind.

The next sunny day she’s back at the same park on the same bench when Steven shows up again.

“Hey.”

She looks around for Emmett.

“He’s not here. I just thought...well I thought you could use some company.”

Company feels a lot like a disguise for the word help, a word Jackie hates, but at that moment Jessica pukes all over herself while Sarah cries for Jackie to come watch her go down the slide.

“I love slides,” is all Steven says before hurrying over to meet Stephanie.

It becomes a routine. Jackie shows up at the park at 11 every suny morning. Steven shows up ten minutes later, sometimes with Emmett sometimes without. Sarah has taken a particular liking to him, dragging him all around the playground as soon as she sees him.

They talk, too. He still works at Grooves but works the late shifts so that he can help Angie out a couple mornings a week. He goes to the Foreman’s every Sunday for dinner. Jackie tells him about her marriage, or the lack thereof. She had forgotten what it was like to talk to someone who wasn’t a child. She had forgotten what it was like to talk to Steven.

Eventually she gets the courage to ask if he has a girlfriend.

“Had one for a while after you left, Rose. Didn’t work out.”

“Why not?”

“She moved to New York.”

“But you didn’t?”

“I couldn’t leave Emmett.”

Jackie pretends to have dropped something so he can’t see her tears.

It rains for a whole week straight and by the third day, Jackie thinks she might tear her hair out in her tiny little house. Before she gets a chance to, the doorbell rings. It’s Steven with Emmett in hand.

“I asked Mrs. Foreman for your address. I thought you might be going crazy without the playground.”

Adding the extra child increases the chaos but as Steven chases the toddlers around, pretending to be a monster, it seems so much easier.

Without Jackie’s awareness or consent, Steven Hyde has become something like her best friend.

Next time Mrs. Foreman is over, Jackie carefully pries for details about Steven’s ex-girlfriend.

“Steven picked the one girl less tied down than him. Seemed like they were perfect for each other. She wanted to travel the world and write about music. He looked at her like he was staring at the sun.”

“But she left him?”

“He wanted to marry her. But she wouldn’t be tied down. She asked him to travel with her. No plan, no money, no date to come back. He tried to compromise but he said he couldn’t leave Emmett or his home forever. Then she just left one night. Poor thing, people always seem to be leaving him.”

They’re at the playground again the next day, Emmett and Sarah playing some two-year old version of tag, when Jackie turns to Steven.

“You know I got everything I left for. Money, success, marriage, a house, a family. Yet I practically ran back here.”

Steven offers her a sad smile.

“That girl I mentioned, Rose? Man, she was basically straight out of one of my dirty dreams. Couldn’t have written a more perfect girl. When she left, I was so mad. Kept saying she wasn’t the person I thought she was. Turns out I wasn’t the person I thought I was.’

Jackie places her hand over his, squeezing gently. He doesn’t squeeze back.

The next day and tanned, toned Pam Burkhart shows up at Jackie’s door.

“Mom?”

“Oh my poor baby,” Pam cries and pulls Jackie tightly into her chest, running a hand through her hair. “I heard about the divorce. I wanted to be here sooner, I swear. But I was in the Dominican Republic and there was this man and it took longer than I expected. But I’m here now.”

The girls are with David for the weekend so Jackie sits across from her mom in her slightly shabby living room.

“Honey isn’t David rich? You need to get more money from him. I’m sure he can afford a house and nanny for you.”

Jackie shakes her head.

“No. I just need enough to pay rent and feed the girls. I don’t want anything else from him.”

“But Jackie being a single mother is not what I dreamed for you. Are you looking for a new husband?”

Jackie glares at her.

“I’m just trying to be a good mom to my girls. I don’t care about finding a husband.”

Pam purses her lips disapprovingly but doesn’t continue.

The girls return the next day and Sarah is ecstatic to find Pam, who refuses to be called Grandma, staying with them. Sarah finds Pam’s eccentricity and gaudishness hilarious, giggling as Pam shows her every piece of jewelry she owns and wraps her up in expensive scarves and hats.

“Mom she’s a toddler, be careful.”

“She’s a Burkhart girl. They always appreciate the finer things.”

Pam is surprisingly helpful around the house. She takes a smelly Jessica wordlessly away from Jackie, changing her diaper so quickly Jackie’s jaw drops. She befriends the owner of a nearby restaurant and regularly brings home leftovers for dinner. For the first time in months, Jackie finds herself on the couch reading a magazine without a second’s guilt.

“I never knew you could do all these...mom things,” Jackie admits one night as Pam wipes down the kitchen counter.

Pam smiles at her.

“I did raise you, you know. The first couple years it was just me, your dad worked all the time. But then your dad started cheating and I admittedly fell apart a bit. That’s when I started hiring the nannies.” Pam walks over to Jackie, placing a hand on her cheek. “You’re such an amazing mother, sweetheart. So much better than I ever was.”

Jackie brings her hand up to cover Pam’s.

“Well it turns out you’re a pretty amazing grandmother.”

Pam pretends to wave off the compliment, wrinkling her nose at being called a grandmother, but Jackie sees tears sparkling in her eyes as she turns away.

It rains the next day and Jackie hears Sarah screech excitedly when there’s a knock on the door.

“Emmett!”

“Who’s Emmett?” Pam begins to ask, but Jackie has already swung the door open to reveal Emmett and Steven. 

“Pam,” Steven says in surprise when he steps through the door, looking over at the kitchen.

“Oh you’re that Hyde boy. Who broke Jackie’s heart.”

Steven gapes.

“Mom,” Jackie chastises, reaching for Steven and Emmett’s coats, “Stop. Steven and I are friends now. This is his nephew. He and Sarah are best friends.”

Pam offers a small ‘oh’ but Jackie can see the suspicion in her eyes.

The three of them force casual conversation while the kids tear around the house, giggling with delight. When Jessica begins to cry, Pam is the first to her and whisks out of the room for a diaper change.

“So your mom’s here,” Steven says after a moment, both of their eyes still on the children.

“Yep,” Jackie responds, offering him a small smile.

“You okay?” he asks quietly, eyes searching her face.

She nods and places her hand over his, squeezing it.

“I really am.”

He squeezes her hand back.

Pam rounds on Jackie as soon as Steven and Emmett are at the door.

“You’re back with the Hyde’s boy? I thought you weren’t looking for a husband.”

“I’m not mom, we’re just friends. Emmett and Sarah love each other.”

“Darling you have always been in love with that man. You’re going to get hurt again.”

“I don’t love him, mom. We’re just friends. I told you.”

“Jackie, you need to think about the girls. About your future. About your family. Who do you really want to be a part of it?”

The words settle into Jackie’s brain and she finds herself listening to them as she crawls into bed.

Who does she want to be part of her family? Of her life? 

She awakes in the middle of the night, covered in sweat and tears. She’d had a nightmare, one where Sarah and Jessica are being taken away from her by a man with no face. Jackie had screamed and begged and pleaded but they’d vanished into the darkness, somewhere Jackie couldn’t reach. 

She reaches for the phone before she knows what she’s doing, shaking as she punches in the numbers.

“Hello?”

“Steven?”

“Jackie? Jackie are you alright? It’s two o’clock in the morning.”

“Steven, am I a good mom?”

“What?”

“Am I a good mom?”

“Are you okay?”

“Steven please tell me. Honestly.”

“Yes Jackie, of course you’re a good mom. You’re a great mom.”

“What would happen if I died? What would happen to my babies?”

“Jackie seriously what’s going on?”

“They can’t go with their dad. He couldn’t care less about them. I shouldn’t have had kids with him. I should have found someone who would care. I was in such a rush to prove I could be a wife I never really thought about what I was doing. You were always right, Steven. I could never be happy with what I had. I always had to think about what was next.”

“I’m coming over.”

“What?”

“Just stay there. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Steven, I didn’t-,”

But the line is dead before she can say anything else.

She sees the headlight pull up outside the house and throws her jacket on, hurrying out the door to meet him.

He’s in his pajamas and his eyes are red, dark circles underneath.

“Steven, I’m sorry. You didn’t have to come all the way here. I just had a weird dream and I-,”

His arms are around her before she can say anything else. She freezes for a moment, stiff against his chest. They haven’t hugged since she’s been back and she’s briefly overwhelmed by the nostalgia of his touch.

Then she collapses against him.

Tears pour down her face and soak into his shirt but she can’t seem to stop. It’s as if every emotion she’s felt since she moved here has surfaced all at once, outside her house in the middle of night in Steven’s arms. He doesn’t say anything, just rubs his hand up and down her spine.

After what feels like an eternity she takes a deep breath, relieved when no more tears appear.

“Sorry,” she mutters abashedly, stepping out of his arms and rubbing at her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

He gives her a small smile.

“It’s cool.”

They end up sitting on the stairs outside her front door, shoulders just barely touching each other. 

“I just thought I was getting everything, you know? Perfect husband. Perfect house. Perfect life. But then it started looking like my parents' marriage and I ran away as fast as I could.”

He nods, gazing up at the stars.

“You did the right thing.”

“I’m just so mad at myself. I got so wrapped up in it, the storybook life. You were right, about waiting. About not being sure. And I think maybe a part of me knew it and wanted to prove you wrong so I rushed into everything.”

“Prove me wrong?”

“Yeah. You didn’t want to marry me or start a family with me so I wanted to prove that someone did. Well I found him, he just sucked.”

“I never said I didn’t want to marry you. Or have a family with you. I just wasn’t ready.”

She offers him a sad smile.

“I know. But I was so used to getting what I wanted that when you wouldn’t give it to me right away, I was scared I would never get it.”

“I shouldn’t have stayed with Sam. I’m sorry.”

Jackie hugs her arms around herself.

“It’s okay. I’m sorry I almost slept with Michael.”

“It’s okay.”

She chuckles.

“Why couldn’t we have been like this five years ago?”

He looks over at her.

“We were stupid, stubborn kids.”

“I still feel like a kid. I feel like a baby with two babies.”

“You’re a great mom, Jackie. It blows me away.”

“Really?”

“You’re up there with Mrs. Foreman.”

Tears prick at her eyes again. This time they’re full of joy.

“Wow.”

“It...it gives me hope, actually.”

“What do you mean?”

“That we don’t become our parents.”

“You’re nothing like Bud or Edna, Steven.”

“Today I’m not. But I could be tomorrow.”

“I’ve seen you with Emmett. He adores you. And you are so good with him. Bud and Edna never came close.”

“I guess.”

“And you’re W.B.’s son, not Bud’s.”

He reaches for hand, giving it a squeeze. She squeezes back.

They sit like this for several more minutes.

“I should go,” he finally says, pulling his hand back. 

“I’m sorry I woke you.”

“I’m not.”

“Thank you, Steven. Seriously, thank you.”

He moves forward, just the tiniest step, before seemingly rethinking his decision.

“Goodnight, Jackie.”

“Goodnight, Steven.”

She watches as he climbs into his truck and it roars to life. It sounds the same as it did when she was 17.

The next day Pam announces she is leaving.

“Not for long, I promise. But I think I need to do a bit of soul searching, don’t you think?”

Jackie cries after she leaves. The small house feels too big.

It’s a cold day but she bundles the girls up and trudges to the park. Steven is already there.

“Hey,” he says. There’s a new tension between them in the cold air. Jackie shivers.

“Hey.”

“So Donna and Eric are coming into town this weekend. So is Kelso. We’re all going to get drinks or something. You want to come?”

“I have the girls,” she says hesitantly, placing a hand on the stroller.

“Can your mom watch them?”

“She left,” Jackie admits, biting her lip.

Steven’s hand twitches, as if to reach out to hers, but instead shoves it into his pocket.

“Oh. Well Mrs. Foreman probably would. It’s up to you.”

Jackie has become mostly estranged from the high school group. She sends Donna and Fez Christmas cards and chats with Kelso and Brooke every few months about the kids, but it’s mostly a memory. A slightly awkward one.

But she’s also 23 and divorced and hasn’t spent a night without her kids in years.

“I’ll see.”

She swears she can see his fingers twitch again inside his pocket.

Mrs. Foreman does agree to watch the kids, with delight actually, and Mr. Foreman pretends to be furious but Jackie can see the smile in his eyes.

She can hear all the voices when she climbs down the stairs, slightly breathless at the familiar smells and sounds.

They’re all gathered around the TV, laughing at something Kelso just said. Jackie peers around the corner.

“Jackie!” Kelso calls excitedly, knocking over his chair in his haste to sit up. Jackie beams at him, squealing slightly when his hug lifts her off the ground.

Donna greets her eagerly as well, giving her a tight hug and smile. 

“Uh here, come sit,” Hyde mutters, standing up from his chair and waving her over.

“Oh no that’s-,”

But he’s already on top of the dryer, open beer in hand. Jackie takes a seat.

“Where are the girls?” Donna asks, smiling at Jackie. “The pictures you send are so cute.”

“They’re upstairs with Mrs. Foreman.”

At that note, Jackie hears a loud wail. She sighs.

“Which one is that?” Eric asks.

“Jessica,” she and Steven respond in union.

Everyone goes silent for a beat.

“You’re a hot mom, Jackie,” Kelso says after a moment, winking at her. “Brooke and I are still going strong so won’t make a move, but I wanted you to know.” Jackie rolls her eyes at him.

“Of course I am, Kelso.”

It only takes a few more minutes of banter for Jackie to forget it’s been five years since they’ve all been together. They all look older and sound older. Two of them have kids. But Eric’s arm is still around Donna’s shoulder and Fez still drops candies all over the ground when he stands up and Kelso is still talking about his bottle rocket suit.

“So you guys remember that car?” Steven asks during a lull in conversation. They still throw their empty beer cans at him.

Eventually they make their way upstairs so Jackie can show them the girls. Sarah beams under all the attention and immediately demonstrates her newly learned ballerina twirls. Jessica gurgles happily in Fez’s arms. Jackie finds herself next to Steven, watching the scene.

“This is nice,” she murmurs, warmth flooding her chest.

“Yeah, it is.”

They end up at a bar, the only one in town, and the boys quickly wind up in a corner trying to stuff Fez into a dress. Jackie stirs her drink, laughing with Donna.

“So you are happy to be back here?” Donna asks, looking over at her.

“Yeah, I am. It feels like home. It’s good for us.”

Donna nods.

“He’s completely in love with you, you know.”

Jackie stares at her.

“What?”

“Hyde. I don’t think he ever wasn’t in love you, but the way he looked at you tonight was something else. Felt like I was in a memory.”

“Donna, it’s not like that. We’re just friends. His nephew and Sarah-,”

“I wasn’t asking you, I was just telling you. You don’t have to do anything about it, just thought you should know.”

Back at the Foreman’s Donna, Eric and Kelso attempt to wrangle Fez down to the basement so he’ll fall asleep on the couch. Jackie excuses herself to get the girls into her car, wishing everyone a goodnight.

“I’ll help you out,” Steven offers and grabs Jessica’s car seat before Jackie can say anything else.

Jackie waits by the kitchen door as Steven straps the sleeping girls in, gently shutting the car door before walking over to her. Jackie watches her breath swirl around her in the chilly night air.

“Thank you, Steven,” she says softly. She starts to bring her hand towards his arm. Instead, she shoves it in her pocket.

“No problem,” he mutters, giving her a tight smile.

“I’ll see you later then,” she responds, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Yep.”

“Alright.”

She takes a step towards her car before she feels a hand on her arm.

“Hey, Jackie?”

She looks back at him.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think maybe...uh, nevermind actually.” He drops his arm.

“What is it, Steven?”

“Nothing. Forget about it. Have a good night.”

Jackie glances back at her car and sees Jessica, eyes closed with a dreaming smile on her face.

Then she turns back to Steven.

“Hey, Steven?”

“Yeah.”

She kisses him before she can convince herself not to. He’s stiff at first, hands tight against his sides and spine rigid. But then suddenly his lips are moving against hers. His hands are in her hair and he’s pulling her closer, tightly against him.

A cry from the car pierces the air and Jackie jumps back, turning around. 

“Oh shoot, Sarah is waking up. I’d better go,” she mutters, cheeks flushed in a way that has nothing to do with the cold.

“Alright,” Steven agrees, shoving his hands back into his pockets.

She hurries over to the car, opening the drivers side door.

“Hey Jackie?”

She looks across the roof of the car at him.

“Can I call you tomorrow?”

Jackie grins.

“You better.” 

I, II and III

Hyde’s heart is hammering against his chest, so loudly he thinks Foreman might be able to hear it.

“Woah, Hyde dude, chill out. She’s not that late.”

“Well she’s not supposed to be late at all.”

“I’m sure she just needed like fifty more diamonds on her necklace or something. Girls are always late.”

Hyde sighs again, scratching at his cheek.

“Man, it’s so bright in here. I wish I had my glasses.”

“Well she said no, remember?”

“Do you have them on you? It’s not like she’ll stop this whole thing if I have them on.”

“She might. And no, Donna has them. I wasn’t to be trusted.”

“Damn, she’s smart,” Hyde mutters.

“So you’re sure about this man? Because you probably got about another minute to get in your car and get the hell away.”

“Foreman, I’ve literally driven across the country to try and convince myself not to do this. It’s happening.”

Eric shakes his head but places a hand on Hyde’s shoulder.

“You poor bastard. You never stood a chance.”

At that moment, music fills the church.

“Oh shit, she’s here,” Hyde hisses, tugging at his tie.

“Of course she’s here. She loves you or something stupid like that.”

Hyde watches Donna wink at Eric as she strolls down the aisle, clad in a light pink dress.

“My juicy,” Eric mumbles behind him.

“Shut up, Foreman,” Hyde growls, looking eagerly down the aisle.

Then he sees her. She’s in a white dress, one that’s surprisingly simple given the occasion, but absolutely stunning. Her arm is hooked around Mr. Foreman’s who almost maintains his surly expression the entire way down the aisle.

“Damn Hyde, your wife is smoking hot,” comes a hiss from Kelso somewhere behind Foreman.

“Kelso I will kick your ass,” Hyde snarls, eyes not moving from the pair coming down the aisle.

Finally they reach the altar and Hyde takes a shaky step down.

“Hey,” he whispers, grinning.

“Hey yourself,” she whispers back.

“You look beautiful,” he says, eyes sweeping her body.

“So do you.”

“Can you two quit drooling over each other so we can get this show on the road?” Red snaps, looking between them. “I hate suits.”

Hyde nods and steps forward, reaching his arm out. She takes it.

“Ready for this?” he murmurs, squeezing her hand.

“As long as you are.”

“Jackie Burkhart, I cannot fucking wait to be married to you.”


End file.
